Agulhas National Park
All-in-One
Geographical extremes capture the imagination. From ancient mariners to contemporary mankind, the quest has always been to reach the poles, sail around the tips of continents, conquer the highest peaks and dive to the ultimate depths. This is the same spirit that captivated the explorers of yesteryear who braved one of the most challenging sea crossings of their time: the Atlantic-Indian Ocean crossing via Cape Agulhas. As the southern-most tip of Africa, it has always had its mysteries and adventure, and still captures the imagination of contemporary explorers.
Amongst the mysteries associated with this region, is the legendary 'Cape of Storms' which wrecked many ships en route to the east via Cape Agulhas. Ancient people also left their mark on the landscape. For example, archaeological middens remind contemporary man of a successful hunter-gathering culture that was in harmony with its natural environment; and a cultural heritage that dates back thousands of years to when the Khoi-khoi people trapped fish using ingeniously constructed tidal traps. This windswept, ruggedly beautiful coastal plain at the southern-most tip of Africa, with its rich cultural and natural heritage, has recently been proclaimed as the Agulhas National Park.
There are several small towns in the area encompassed by Agulhas, but no park run camps as yet.
Adventure and Outdoor Activities (Planned tourist activities)
- Several nature trails and a unique trail to traverse the southern-most tip of Africa.
- An environmental education centre.
- A world class museum and interpretative centre.
The Agulhas area has several attractions, which draw tourists to its shores each year. The nearby towns L’Agulhas and Struisbaai offer several water sports such as swimming and angling. Within the confines of the developing national park, tourists can enjoy the following places of interest:
- The southern-most of Africa – The official position of the tip is 34° 49’ 58" south and 20° 00’ 12’’ east. A cairn marks the tip’s exact location. It is at this longitudinal point that the Atlantic and Indian oceans officially meet.
- The lighthouse at Cape Agulhas – The lighthouse was built to aid the early explorers on their passage of the rough seas off Cape Agulhas. Seventy-one steps lead up to the top of the second oldest working lighthouse in southern Africa. Stone mined from the adjacent limestone quarry provided the raw materials for its construction. The building also houses a unique lighthouse museum. Remains of ancient stone fish traps used by the Khoisan people can be seen to the east of the lighthouse.
- Graveyard of ships – The Zoetendal, Birkenhead and Armiston are some of the many shipwrecks found along the Agulhas coastline. Showpieces from these shipwrecks are on display at the Bredasdorp Shipwreck museum. Visitors to the are can still see the remains of the Meisho Maru 38 wreck on the shores of Cape Agulhas.
- Fynbos – The Agulhas Plain has great diversity of flora. The Agulhas area contains representatives of unique vegetation such as limestone fynbos. Although most species bloom between May and September, there are flowers to be enjoyed in any season.
5 Things to seek
- The Southern Tip of Africa
- Southern Right Whale
- African Black Oystercatcher
- Damara Tern
- Cape Platana
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Accommodation
The Park is in the process of establishing a 60 bed accommodation facility. It is expected to be completed at the end of the 2008/2009 financial year. We'll keep you updated.
In the meantime, here is a link to the Agulhas Accommodation Directory
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Activities
Adventure and Outdoor Activities (Planned tourist activities)
- Several nature trails and a unique trail to traverse the southern-most tip of Africa.
- An environmental education centre.
- A world class museum and interpretative centre.
Facilities
Since this is developing park, there are no tourist facilities such as camping, overnight accommodation and restaurants. However, these facilities are available in the nearby towns L’Agulhas and Struisbaai.
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Natural and Cultural History
The area around the southern-most tip of Africa, often referred to as the Agulhas Plain, has rich natural and cultural features, which make it worthy of national park status. The Agulhas Plain is of international significance due to its rich plant biodiversity, with species richness values equalling those of tropical rain forests. It has approximately 2000 species of indigenous plants including 100 which are endemic to the area and over 110 Red Data Book species. Consequently, the Agulhas Plain is a very important component of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest and richest of the world's six plant kingdoms.
The Agulhas Plain is unique in that a wide variety of wetlands occur in the area, contributing to a high diversity of wetland plants and aquatic invertebrates. This is also home to the endangered Cape platanna and the micro frog. In addition these wetlands attract a host of water birds, with over 21 000 migrant and resident wetland birds estimated to occur in the area annually. The coastline supports a rich marine and intertidal life, with breeding sties of rare coastal birds such as the African black oystercatcher. The nearby islands are home to a variety of seabirds and seals. In spring and early summer southern right whales frequent the waters of the Agulhas coast. Besides its ecological importance, the Agulhas area has a rich cultural heritage. A reconnaissance of the area has established the presence of significant archaeological sites along the coast. The discovery of stone hearths and pottery, together with shell middens, link the archaeological deposits with the era of Khoisan migration and settlements.
The Agulhas area also provides history of a different kind – numerous shipwrecks of the early explorers attempting to conquer the wild seas off the southern tip of Africa, dot the coastline. Many national monuments are found in the area, such as the historical Cape Agulhas lighthouse, which has been in operation since 1849. In addition, historical buildings such as the water mill at Elim and certain homesteads reflect the European influence in the history of the region.
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Vital Information
Climate
The Agulhas area has a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cool wet winters. Prevailing winds blow from the southeast in the summer and the northwest in the winter. The Agulhas area receives approximately 450 mm of rainfall per annum.
Contact Information
For enquiries, e-mail Agulhus National Park or People and Conservation or phone us on the following numbers:
Tel: +27 (0)28 435 6222
Fax: +27 (0)28 435 6225
Park Manager: Agulhas National Park
PO Box 120
L'Agulhas 7285
Handy Hints
Visit the lighthouse musuem in L’Agulhas.
The Wild Card unfortunately does not include the entrance fee to the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse.
The entrance fee to the Lighthouse is: R15,00 for adults and R7,50 for children (2 – 11 years). This entrance fee is in line with other Transnet National Ports Authority’s lighthouses which are open to visitors.
Office Hours
Contact the park manager
Take Note
- Pets are not allowed in a national park.
- This is a developing park – there are limited tourist facilities at present. There are limited toilet facilities.
- Vehicle repairs, post office, medical and police services are available at L’Agulhas and/or Struisbaai
Travel / How to get there
Cape Agulhas is approximately 230 km from Cape Town. It can be accessed via the N2 route, turning off at Caledon and passing through Bredasdorp when coming from the west. From the east, leave the N2 near Swellendam and pass through Bredasdorp to get to Cape Agulhas. The nearest towns are L’Agulhas and the fishing village of Struisbaai.
Gate Hours
No park gates
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Birding in Agulhas National Park
Information on birding in the Agulhas region needs to be consolidated. Damara Tern breeds at De Mond Nature Reserve and can be seen along the coast. Stanley’s Bustard, Blue Crane and Secretarybird are some of the larger, more visible species present, while Southern Tchagra, Large-billed (Thick-billed), Agulhas Clapper and Agulhas Long-billed Lark, Karoo Scrub Robin and Cape Bunting are common amongst the smaller species.
(Compiled by Chris Patton)
(For more birding information and park bird checklist, go to Information for Birders)
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Mammals
Not many terrestrial mammals occur, but the Cape Grysbok is something to look out for in the coastal fynbos.In the Ocean one can look out for Cape Fur Seals and a variety of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. The Southern Right Whales come to the bays to breed from August to November.
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Vegetation
The Agulhas plain with a plant diversity and species richness equalling those of tropical forests, makes the Agulhas Park a jewel in its own right. The floral diversity includes some 2 000 species of indigenous plants including 100 that are endemic to the area and over 110 Red Data species.
The Agulhas plain is an important component of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest and richest of the six plant kingdoms of the world.
Many different vegetation types occur in this area. One of them is the endemic Elim (laterite) fynbos, restricted to a few patches in the region, the smallest land surface of any vegetation type in SA. Some of the species confined to this vegetation type are Leucodendron elimense spp. Elimense and Leucodendron laxum (vleirosie).
Limestone fynbos is the endemic-rich vegetation associated with the Bredasdorp Formation limestones. Lime-rich soils are mainly alkaline (pH values greater than 7,5, whereas other fynbos soils are acidic, with a pH value of 4,5 - 6,5) and represented by species like Mimetes saxatalis, Protea obtusifolia, Leucodendron meridianum and Watsonia fergusoniae.
Other vegetation types include acid sand proteoid fynbos, neutral sand proteoid fynbos, restioid fynbos and wetlands.
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People with disabilities
Wheelchair access
Although proclaimed in March 1999, most of the land of this park will only be consolidated in the future.
No park run accommodation is available in this park as at January 2006, but some should be available in the future. Assistance is required to visit day-visitor features such as the lighthouse and its museum or the southern tip of Africa. With upcoming developments in the park, this situation is going to change in the foreseeable future.
The point can be reached by car, but mobility over the rocks is only for the physically strong. Access to the museum and tearoom at the bottom of the lighthouse is up steps, and wheelchair users will require assistance. Access to the lighthouse tower is not an option.
(Please see additional information on Wheelchair Accessibility)
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